Budapest

Budapest is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Both historical turbulence and a plethora of influences can be seen in the amazing mix of architecture, cuisine and culture. Close to the west, it is a realistic destination for short weekend breaks. It is also the ideal place for honeymoons or romantic getaways; the city is small enough to walk most of the sights and completely safe. Although Many tourist attraction have fees, there is a lot to be seen and absorbed just walking the streets, parks, markets and the peaceful Buda Hills.

Budapest will keep you busy in all weather. There are great parks, walks and outdoor baths for the good weather and a plethora of museums, lovely restaurants and outdoor baths, across a range of very different city quarters. There is no problem finding things to do in Budapest, on the contrary- you will struggle to find the time to do them all!

The Széchenyi Baths

Budapest is famous for its baths, the hot water that flows from a hundred streams. The Széchenyi Bath is Budapest’s most famous outdoor swimming bath. This beautiful bath, in New Baroque style, is open all year round. The bathing chess players you have seen in pictures of Budapest spend their time here.

The Jewish quarter on the Pest side is one of the largest in Europe, the first Jewish settlers arrived in the 13th century in Budapest. This is where the Main Synagogue is located, the largest in the world outside of New York. There is a Jewish museum beside the synagogue, not t confused with the separate Holocaust Museum far away in Páva St.

The palace on Buda Hill contains several museums, including the Ludwig Museum, the National Gallery and the Budapest Historical Museum. There are also narrow alleys and magnificent churches. The walled Castle Hill (Várhegy) is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is actually a collection of different sights to see, but many people simply enjoy wandering the now-quiet streets of this once-bustling district, taking in the views and enjoying generously-priced refreshments, so do allow a good few hours.

Budapest, together with Vienna, is an international capital of opera. The beautiful State Opera, completed in 1884, is worth a visit even if you are not interested in listening to opera. If you do like opera, you must book in good time and be prepared for a festive occasion.

On a clear day you should take the tram or bus to Buda Hills, via the cog railway. Here you will find peace and calm high above the city, with a magnificent view from János-hegy.
At the same time make sure to visit some of the caves that are open to the public. In the Pálvölgy cave, among other things, you can see the unique dripstone figures ”The Elephant” and ”Crocodile”. The air in the caves is said to be good for respiratory infections.

Address

Buda Hills

Memento Park (Szoborpark Múzeum)

Here you will find one of Budapest’s most remarkable attractions. When the proletarian dictatorship’s enormous monuments and statues were no longer politically correct – after 1989-90 – they were moved from their conspicuous locations in the centre to a suburb of Buda.
Here – in this “Communist theme park” – among other things, is the gigantic statue of Lenin and Cubist statues of Marx and Engels.

St. Stephen's Basilica is the largest church in Budapest and can hold up to 8,500 people inside. It is dedicated to Hungary's first king St Stephen and contains his mummified right hand, a much revered treasure.
Several impressive music concerts take place here throughout the year.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is a landmark and a popular tourist sight. It is the largest building in Hungary and displays statues, pictures, frescoes, mosaics, stained glass and sculptures in abundance.

Budapest’s airport, Liszt Ferenc International Airport, lies 16 km south-east of the city. The airport minibus service is very convenient and has a fixed price for transport into the city. The cheapest way is to take bus 200 E from the airport to the Köbánya-Kispest underground railway station, which takes approx. 20 minutes. You can purchase a metro ticket there and travel in to the city centre for a small amount, though it will take another 20 minutes or so.

Budapest has an excellent public transport system. The same ticket is good for a single journey on any of the main types of transport: of underground railway, buses and trams. The Budapest card includes admission to over 60 museums and discounts for sightseeing, swimming, etc.
Budapest has three railway stations: Keleti, Nyugati and Deli, which are linked by the underground railway. The MAV railway company operates between the stations.
65+ EU citizens can get free transport with ID.

Taxi

It is better to ask your hotel or restaurant to telephone for a taxi than to hail one on the street. Only use licensed cars with yellow registration plates. The following companies are reliable:
City Taxi (English-speaking)
+36 1 211 11 11
Fö Taxi
+36 1 222 22 22
Rádió Taxi
+36 1 377 77 77